Fussy Baby Today

:(

Grace's First Day

Some shots from Grace's first day in the hospital:

Reasons for praise!

I woke up around 5:30 this morning to take care of Grace after Mommy finished feeding her because she was fussy and had a wet diaper. After Laura got out of the bathroom, she noticed some red welts on the inside of her wrists and arms, which were quickly spreading. We called the 24-hour healthline, and the nurse suggested taking Benadryl and a cool shower or oatmeal bath, which helped with the itching, but the rash continued to spread, eventually affecting her neck, lips, and throat. Mom and Dad Cherry came over to help us and go with us to the hospital, but by the time that we were able to speak with the OB's office, the rash was going down and the redness had subsided. Thank you, Jesus!

In other good news, Grace has been sleeping pretty soundly and has started opening her eyes more and making happy squeals now and then. Feeding has been going really well, and she only lost 4 oz (not quite 6%) in the first 24 hours. Mom and Dad Bell are getting into town this evening, and Mom and Dad Cherry will be able to stay and help for another few days. It's been such a blessing to have had so much health and so much help and prayer from friends and family. From both of us, thank you to everyone!

Photos!

Not much longer!

This will probably be our last post -- things are moving quickly now, and we'll (hopefully) head to the hospital soon!

TMI

It's been a busy twelve sixteen hours! We went for a long walk last night (2.8 miles!), and Laura started having some intense contractions around 11:00 PM, so we stayed up for a while to see if they were going anywhere before we went to bed. Up again and walking for a bit at around 2:00 AM, trying to sleep until they were too painful, and then up for a while more. We "got up" around 7:30 and timed things, took a walk, timed some more, called the nurse, timed some more, ate some breakfast, gave up on timing the contractions, took a nap, and then headed to the hospital, where we were supposed to have a foley catheter insertion to begin preparation for labor. When we got there, Dr. Wells told us that we're fully effaced and a few centimeters, so we didn't need it, and she thought that there was a good chance that we might deliver tonight or tomorrow without needing any induction measures! Praise the Lord! Keep on praying for Laura and Grace, and pray that we'd be able to nap a bit this afternoon to rest up for whatever's ahead!

Some quotes:

• "I can't believe that we're going for a walk at four in the morning."
• "Man, my mom got off easy!" (both of her labors were verging on precipitate and relatively painless)
• "Just think -- I waited so long to have painful contractions!"
  

Flowers! (and a microwave!)

Last week, my mom got these beautiful, sunshiny daisies and roses from my in-laws wishing her a happy almost grandmother day, and the next day I received a gorgeous vase of lilies with a balloon and little teddy bear from Baby Grace, though I suspect she had a little help from the same source. :) Anyways, I've been meaning to post pictures of these all week, and just now getting to it! And even after a week, they look just as colorful and cheery as ever! Thank you, Mom & Dad Bell!




And thanks to Lindsey, we've also got a working microwave once more! :-)

Real contractions at last!

Last night I finally started getting some "real" contractions (or at least, as far as I can tell!), but they've just been coming and going ever since. Caleb and I just got back from an hour's walk - walking really seems to help get the contractions started, and I figure that at least if we don't go into labor soon, I'll be in much better shape after the last few days! :-)

-Laura

Just a few days more

We've decided to wait a few more days to induce -- if Grace doesn't come sooner, we'll have a preparatory visit on Saturday and begin the induction on Sunday. Pray for wisdom, patience, and for Grace to come soon if it's God's will!

- Caleb

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Rejoicing in the Lord

It's been a bit of a rough evening (well, after a really fun time of watching Ella Enchanted with my parents, that is!) , just as Caleb and I've been talking over the induction and really praying for wisdom in knowing whether to go ahead with it on Friday or wait a few more days. Sometimes it just gets really frustrating wondering why God won't bring our baby now. I was feeling kind of depressed, and felt like He brought this passage from Habakkuk on my mind that I'd read recently so I went back and re-read it again. Even knowing that his county is going to be taken over by invaders soon, he still rejoices in the Lord:

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places.

It strikes me that that would be a much harder thing to wait for than a few days for our Baby Grace!

And thank you all for the encouraging comments and emails and phone calls; I know we've been really slow in responding right now, but we really appreciate them! :-)

-Laura

Still No Baby (and no microwave either!)

It's been really nice having the time with my parents here to just sit around and talk though; I haven't had much chance to do that since I moved up here three years ago. Tomorrow Caleb starts his parental leave from Microsoft, and we go in for more tests and fun stuff to prepare for being induced. I think she dropped a bit yesterday though, so I'm still hopeful she might come in the next 24 hours!

It's been hard waiting, but God has really been teaching us to wait on Him, and for me at least, it's been a hard lesson in learning to trust Him and realize that I'm really not in control, but He is, and He is good. And from what I hear from more experienced parents, that's a lesson that's never-ending when it comes to raising kids.

Kind of funny though - for as long as we've been using it, the 7 button on our microwave hasn't worked. Yesterday, I discovered the 7 had suddenly started working, however the start button decided to quit. We can still get the microwave to work, but only by using the defrost and reheat options, which I've never really studied all that much. Kind of makes it a game figuring out how to use the thing! :)

-Laura

Still waiting!

We had another doctor's visit today, but no changes really yet. Yesterday was Mom Cherry's birthday, and she was really rooting for a birthday baby, but now we're thinking an 8-8-08 little girl would be fun. :-D Ok, actually we're just anxious to meet her as soon as she's ready to show herself. :-) It's funny - we're only three days past our due date, but it seems like much, much longer!

We really appreciate all the encouraging comments and emails, and your prayers! If you think about it, we're really praying she'll come in the next week as the doctor would like to induce if she's not here by next Friday.

-Laura

No Baby Yet

In the mean-time, however, here are some of her older ultrasound photos!

Here's the first shot from 20 weeks:
She actually looks like a baby and not a blurry peanut!

And here's a 3D scan from 30 weeks:
Aww...

I hope that she comes soon, because I don't know how much longer we can come up with variations on "No Baby Yet"!

- Caleb

Baby Weight Predictions

We were Skyping with Mom and Dad Bell about three weeks ago and guessed what Grace's birth weight would be. Mom and Dad Cherry decided to get in on the action tonight:

• Mom Bell: 6lbs 8oz
• Dad Bell: 7lbs 2oz
• Caleb: 6lbs 6oz
• Laura: 7lbs 0oz
  
• Mom Cherry: 7lbs 6oz
• Dad Cherry: 7lbs 3oz

To be fair, the Cherry's have a bit of an advantage, since the most recent ultrasound at the time said only 6lbs. What's your guess? If you're the closest, you get... the honor of being the closest!

Due Date!

Today's the due date, but baby Grace hasn't arrived yet!

We had a non-stress test (NST) and Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI) screen this morning. Both of them looked good, but she was either shy or sleeping while they were trying to measure her movements. They gave Momma some apple juice to drink, so I got my first practice at opening a juice box for my daughter. Laura's slightly dilated, but not too much yet, so the doctor scheduled us for the NST/AFI again if she's not here by Thursday.

Laura is still feeling well, our OB is back from vacation, and we're having fun with Mom and Dad, so we're just trying to be patient now! If you're able, pray that we'd have patience, that we'd entrust our daughter to the Lord even now, that we'd long for His will to be done in all of it, and that if it's His will, for her to come soon!

One day 'til due day

Quick status:

• Our due date is tomorrow. Tomorrow!
• We have a non-stress test, an AFI screen, and an OB appointment tomorrow morning
• Mom and Dad Cherry (Laura's parents) got into town last night, and we've been having fun hanging out, talking, and walking with them a lot (to try speeding things along)
  
• Laura is still feeling well; she's been having contractions off-and-on since Thursday evening, but they're occasional and non-progressing